A short tram ride down market street and we were in Castro being lunch time there wasn’t too much going on down there just lots of guys having coffee with guys and girls doing coffee with girls.

From some of the adverts on the windows things get a whole lot more interesting when the sun goes down most of the night club have ads and  photos in the windows many suggesting there must be a very minimum dress standard..is not no shirt no service here and you really don’t need too much on at all other than a few strips of leather or lycra.  Wait a minute…there’s something bothering me about this place. I know! This bar doesn’t have a fire exit!”

The shopping strip has quiet a few fashion stores, coffee shop, clubs and adult toy stores (with some interesting but disturbing window displays (just what do you do with some of these things? ..you beg to wonder what some people get up to)  The precinct has plenty of atmosphere and well worth a visit.  There’s a lot of puns about, but you have got to wonder about the restaurant on the photo below named “Squat and Gobble” just whats going on there?

Everyone knows about the trolly cars but the city also has trams and many of them are beautifully restored trams from all over the US.. The city went hunting around the country for trams that had been decommisioned and brought them back, restored them to the original cities of their home and now they run the streets.  Its $2 a ride and a easy way to get around the city.

Back in the 60’s the area around Haight and Ashbury streets were the centre of the hippy movement. Today some 40 years later the area still celebrates the hippy. There’s quiet a few crusty old people who probably havent washed since 69 but looking at their broken bodies they have certainly had fun. Theres a new younger crowd right into the image, dreadlocks, 2nd hand clothing and a whif of green smoke in the air. Heaps of cafes and international quirky dining places, and most of the shops are selling books, records, curiostities and antiques and there’s a huge 2nd hand fashion market.

We are at the hyatt regency which is pretty flash, its right on the waterfront so right in the middle of the action. the trolleys and cablecars are at the front door and the bottleshop has a huge supply of six packs and open 24/7. The place is massive with 15 floor high atrium with huge artwork in the centre, people are visiting just to take photos of the inside. Our room has huge panaramic window overlooking the financial district of the city and great view of the trasamerica pyramid.

Well the Americans are out looking for some cannnon fodder, so the best way to get them to sighn up to the mighty stars and stripes is put on an airshow with plenty of sign up caravans. i didnt think war could be so much fun! none of this living in harsh conditions trying to dodge terror groups in the middle east, the posters show parades, shiny medals, fun with your mates and plenty of national pride. but i have got to admit they know how to put on a show, the airshow went all afternoon both saturday and sunday and the highlight was the blue angels they performed for about an hour and where spectacular with ther stunts and incredible flying.

sorry no capitals…finger typing on ipad

Pier 39 is an eyeopner.. Thy have a pier about half the size of ours, and instead of putting a crap buffet on the end and filling the rest with carparking here they have turned it into the city’s biggest attraction. There are dozens of restaurants and attractions and plenty of tacky stores selling all sorts of awful artwork and tourist goodies, but the place just works attracting thousands.  And they dont have a mechanical seal, they have real ones…will do a story on them later.

The massive Oakland Bay Bridge is to the right of the Port Building and there are some spectacular views and some interesting artwork.

This great old building was once the main passenger terminal into San Francisco. Today some ferry’s still leave there but it has been turned into a gourmet marketplace selling the freshest of products.  Daily a farmers market operates outside and inside are some very flash gourmet grocers selling wines, olive oil, fish, meats and specialties. Theres heaps of swish restaurants and coffee joints with sweeping bay views.  This building is directly opposite our hotel.

Its 26 degrees not a cloud in sky and just glorious so nothing better than a few refreshments in the subshine, We have been in San Fran for an hour so its BEER TIME!!!…its been months since ive had a beer in the sun and forgot how good it was…it was a Pabst too.  It might be only 11 in the morning, but im sure its beer time somewhere, and anyway the others here are doing it!.   The waterfront is as good as you will get, we havent seen Vancouver and New York, Hong Kong and Sydney are pretty good, but this place has got to take the cake- theres just so much going on.

We are counting the sleeps to our USA adventure. want to see what we got up to last time we were there? hit this link.